Agrilus planipennis continues to spread in the USA
In North America, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae – EPPO A1 List) was first discovered infesting urban ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) near Detroit (Michigan) in 2002. It then spread to Ontario (Canada), Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and to an increasing number of more distant states such as Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, and Iowa. A map (June 2010) prepared by the ‘Cooperative emerald ash borer project’ can be viewed on the Internet and shows the current distribution of the pest in North America:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/MultiState_EABpos.pdf
The EPPO Secretariat previously had no data on the occurrence of A. planipennis in the following US states:
- West Virginia: first found in October 2007 in Fayette county.
- Kentucky: first found at 2 locations in Shelby and Jessamine counties in May 2009, further specimens were found later in other counties (Boone, Campbell, Fayette, Franklin, Greenup, Henry, Jefferson, Kenton, Oldham and Owen).
- Minnesota: first found in May 2009 in Saint Paul, it was also confirmed in 2010 in Houston county and in the neighbourhood of Minneapolis.
- New York: first found in June 2009 in Cattaraugus county.
- Iowa: first found in May 2010 along the Mississippi river (close to the state of Minnesota) in Allamakee county.
Sources
INTERNET (last accessed in 2010-06)
Emerald Ash Borer. http://www.emeraldashborer.info